The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-04-14

sometimes comes in the shape of local
physical trouble, which does not amount
to positive prostration, but which
bothers you when you want to feel the
best. Perhaps it is sick
headache which has been the plague
of your life, and you appoint some occa-
sion Of mirth or sociality, or usefulness,
and when the clock strikes the hour you
can not make your appearance. Perhaps
the trouble is between the ear and the
forehead, in the shape OF neuralgia
twinge. Nobody can see it or sympathize
with you; but just at the time when you
want your intellect clearest, and your dis
position brightest, you feel a sharp, keen,
disconcerting thrust. The Lord sent the
hornet.
Perhaps these small insect annoyances
will come in the shape of domestic irrita-
ton. The parlor and kitchen do not al
ways harmonic To get good service and
keep it is one Of the great questions of the
country. Sometimes it may be the AFRO
gancy and inconsiderateness of the en-
ployers; but whatever be the
fact, we all admit there are these
insect annoyances winging their way out
from the culinary department If the
grace of God be not in the heart of the
housekeeper, she can not maintain her
equilibrium. The men come home at night
and hear the story of these annoyances,
and say:
30, these home troubles are very little
things"
They are small, small as wasps, but they
sting. Martha's nerves were all unstrung
when she rushed in asking Christ to re-
prove Mary, and there are tens of thou
| sands of women who are dying, stung to
| death by these pestiferous domestic an
noyances. The Lord sent the hornet.
These small insect disturbances may
| come in the shape of business lrritations.
There are men here who went through
1857 and September "a, 1869, without losing
their balance, who are every day I'M
horsed by little annoyances-a clerks
| ill-manners, or blot of ink on bill of
| lading, or the extravaganza of partner
who overdraws his account, or the under
| selling by business rival, or the whisper
| ing Of business condolences in the street,
making Of some little bad debt which was
| against your judgment, just to please
somebody else.
| 1t is not the panics that kill the mer-
chants. Panics come only once in ten
| or twenty years. 1t is the constant
din of these everyday annoyances
which is sending so many of our
best merchants into nervous dyspepsia
and paralysis and the grave. When our
National commerce fell fiat on it's face,
these men stood up and felt almost de-
faint; but their life is giving way now
under the swarm of these pestiferous an
novances. The Lord sent the hornet.
Ihave noticed in the history of some of
l hot
are multiplying and that they have a hun
dred where they used to have ten. The
naturalist tells us that wasp sometimes
has family of 90, 900, and it does seem as
if every annoyance of your life bred 1,0O0,-
600. By the help of God to-day want to
show you the other side.
The hornet is Of no usea Oh, yes The
naturalists tell US they are very impor tant
in the worlds economy. They kill spiders
and they clear the atmosphere And
really believe God sends the annoyances
Of our life upon us to kill the spiders of
the soul and to clear the atmosphere of
our skies.
These annoyances are sent on US, think,
to wake US up from our lethargy. There
| is nothing that makes man so lively as a
nest Of yellow Jackets" and think that
these annoyances are intended to persuade
US Of the fact that this is not world for
US to stop in. II we had a bed of any
thing that was attractive and soft and
easy, what would we want of Heaven!
You think that the hollow tree sends the
hornet, or you think the devil sends the
hornet. want to correct your opinion
The Lord sent the hornet.
Then I also think these annoyances
come upon US to culture our patience. In
the gymnasium you find upright parallel
bars-bars with holes over each other for
pegs to be put in. Then the gymnast
takes peg in each hand and he begins tt
climb, one inch at time, or two inches
and, getting his strength cultured, reaches
after awhile the ceiling. And it seems tt
me that these annoyances in life are g
} moral gymnasium, each worry peg by
which we are to climb higher and higher
in Christian attainment.
We all love to see patience, but it car
|, not be cultured in far weather. 1t is
child of the storm. If you had every thin.
desirable and there was nothing more tt
get, what would you want with patience
The only time to cultivate it is when 20,
are slandered and cheated, and sick an(
half dead.
, "Oh," you say, 'if I only had the cir
cufnstances of some well-to-do-man
l would be patient too.''
You might as well say:
eff it were not for this water woul,
swim;' sH
Or,
, Il could shoot this gun il it were not TO
r the caps"
( When you stand chin-deep in annoy
ances is the time for you to swim out te
. ward the great headlands Of Christian al
+ tainment, and when your life is loaded t
the muzzle with repulsive annoyances-
i that is the time to draw the trigger
, Nothing but the furnace will eve
burn out of US the clinker an
the Stag. have formed this theory in RI
gard to small annoyances and vexations
1t takes just so much trouble to fit us 70
usefulness and for heaven. The onl
r question is whether we shall take it
!, bulk. or-pulverized and granulated.
= Here is one man that takes it in tn
/ bulk. His back is broken, or his eyesigh
d put out or some other calamity befall
him; while thevast majority OF people tax
the thing plecemeal Which way woul
q you rather have lit OF course in piec,
: meal. Better have five aching teeth tia
Q one booken jaw. Better ten fy-blister
q than an amputation. Better invent
; | 11c !,